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UK real estate: political uncertainty clouds the picture

A hung parliament following the general election has only added to ‘Brexit’-related uncertainty in the UK, although there remain pockets of opportunity for investors, says Tom Goodwin.

Another vote, another period of political turmoil in the UK. The electorate has once again confounded the expectations of markets and pollsters, delivering a hung parliament that only exacerbates the uncertainty surrounding Britain’s negotiations to leave the European Union.

We still anticipate a relatively open trading relationship between the UK and the EU over the medium term, but in the meantime investors in UK commercial real estate face challenges. A further slowdown in rental growth is to be expected, as the lack of clarity over the outcome of the ‘Brexit’ talks is likely to prove a drag on the economy and lead occupiers to delay decision-making.

There are signs the economic slowdown we have anticipated is beginning to take. But the risks do not appear to be fully reflected in valuations; direct real estate still looks overpriced relative to both the listed sector and units in unlisted property funds, which adjusted to the weaker outlook 12 months ago. Such a prolonged disconnect between more-liquid forms of real estate investment and the direct market is highly unusual.

It is possible the liquid markets are understating the importance of real estate’s relative pricing; property still offers attractive risk-adjusted returns compared with other asset classes. The real estate yield spread over bonds remains particularly healthy and investor demand is robust. We continue to find pockets of opportunity, and expert investors are well placed to add value through actively managing their portfolios and careful asset selection.

Offices: regional assets to outperform

A disconnect between pricing and fundamentals is particularly evident in central London’s office sector. A wave of new development in the capital is coming to completion just as occupier demand begins to falter and Brexit threatens to compromise financial services firms’ access to the European single market.

For now, however, capital from overseas is holding up the top end of the London property market. Many of these investors are looking beyond short-term income growth forecasts and focusing on the city’s longer-term prospects, which remain robust. Whatever the outcome of the Brexit negotiations, London will retain its status as a global city, with a deep pool of highly-skilled labour and an unrivalled cultural offering.

Regional office assets are less sensitive to the fallout from Brexit than those in the capital and a dearth of supply in many markets is supportive of rental growth. In fact, we expect this sector to outperform, delivering total returns of 6.4 per cent over the next five years.

Retail: consumer squeeze

The outlook for the retail sector is threatened by pressures on consumer spending. The inflation rate rose to 2.9 per cent in May – the highest it has been since June 2013, according to the Office for National Statistics – but wages are not keeping pace; ONS data shows that average weekly earnings increased by 2.1 per cent over the three months to April.

With stalling or even negative real-income growth, and inflation set to move higher in the coming months, the outlook for retail sales growth is poor. Households would usually adjust by borrowing more but there is little scope for them to do so; the savings ratio has already fallen to an all-time low.

Lower consumer spending is likely to accelerate the ongoing polarisation of the retail sector. Weaker parts of the market – particularly poor-quality assets in secondary locations, including many out of town shopping centres – look particularly challenged. High-quality assets in ‘destination’ locations should prove much more resilient.

Industrials: strong returns

The weaker economic outlook is likely to force companies to act with more alacrity to adjust to the structural challenges they face. Retailers may rationalise store portfolios more quickly, becoming more discerning in their location strategies in the face of competition from online retailers. In the office sector, we may see firms bring forward plans to introduce automation to reduce costs, which could in turn reduce demand for office space.

In the industrial sector, the structural changes underway are much more favourable. The rise of e-commerce is fostering demand for warehouses, logistics hubs, and ‘last-mile’ delivery depots, while the post-Brexit devaluation of the pound was a boon to some exporters. We are forecasting total returns of 6.6 per cent on industrial property over the next five years to 2021, although some of that will be ‘in the bank’ already; strong competition for the best assets has driven yield compression and the market is beginning to look very expensive.

There may be better risk-adjusted returns on offer through development opportunities in the industrials sector – particularly in the Southeast – and in some regional office markets, such as Manchester, which probably offer better value in the current market. Over the medium term and beyond, we continue to believe good-quality property assets in ‘winning’ cities, where people want to live, work, play and learn, will outperform.

The European economy is enjoying strong growth, but with real estate investment markets advanced in the cycle, value is becoming hard to find. Monika Sujkowska discusses what’s in store for the European real estate market in 2018.

Important Information

Unless stated otherwise, any sources and opinions expressed are those of Aviva Investors Global Services Limited (Aviva Investors) as at June 28, 2017. This commentary is not an investment recommendation and should not be viewed as such. They should not be viewed as indicating any guarantee of return from an investment managed by Aviva Investors nor as advice of any nature. Past performance is not a guide to future returns. The value of an investment and any income from it may go down as well as up and the investor may not get back the original amount invested.

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Tom Goodwin

UK Strategy & Research Analyst, Real Estate

Main responsibilities

Tom is responsible for forecasting UK real estate markets and has a key role in developing the house view and investment strategy for our UK-focussed real estate funds.

Experience and qualifications

Prior to joining Aviva Investors, Tom worked for PMA where he specialised in analysing real estate within the context of the global capital markets, with primary responsibility for the US.
Tom has a degree in Modern Languages & Business from the University of Nottingham, and an MSc in Real Estate Investment & Finance from the University of Reading. He holds the Investment Management Certificate, and is a member of the Investment Property Forum and Society of Property Researchers.